Cleaning machine



March 15, 1960 w, w, TAYLOR ET AL 2,928,613

CLEANING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 2, 1955 folr By ZU @IlTgp/L? March l5, 1960 w, w, TAYLOR ErAL 2,928,613

CLEANING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 2, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 3ORS.

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walter 1I/alma@ March 15,. 1960 w. w. TAYLOR ETAL CLEANING MACHINE FiledDSC. 2. 1955 March l5, 1960 w, w. TAYLOR ET Al- CLEAN'ING MACHINE 4Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Dec. 2. 1955 United States Patent O CLEANINGMACHINE Walter W. Taylor and Walter F. Malsbary, Oakland, Calif.,assignors to Malsbary Manufacturing Company, Oakland, Calif., acorporation of California Application December 2, 1955, Serial No.'550,680

4 Claims. (Cl. 239-533) The present invention relates to improvements ina cleaning machine intended particularly for the cleaning of heavyindustrial machinery, motor driven trucks and the like, by means of astream of hot water, steam, or amixture of hot water and steamdischarged at the object to be cleaned under high pressure.

A machine of this type has been described in the Malsbary Patent No.2,295,228, andthe machine comprises in its principal features, a coilthrough which water is pumped under high pressure, a tank from which thewater is pumped, a solution tank connected for delivering a desiredamount of solution to the irst tank, a gas burner for heating the coil,a discharge hose connected to the coil and terminating in a nozzlehaving a small discharge orifice.

It is proposed in the present invention to provide the nozzle with acontrol valve which is opened by the grip of the operator and which isclosed automatically when the grip is released.

The release of the grip works up a back pressure in the system, and vitis the object of the invention to utilize the back pressure foractuating various control elements, which allow the pump to continueoperation without damage to the system, which automatically stop thesolution feed into the water tank, and also automatically stop the flowof gas to the burner.

In carrying out these objects, we propose to provide a by-pass on thedischarge side of the pump adapted to feed back into the water tank, andequipped with a pressure-operated relief valve which opens automaticallywhen the nozzle is closed.

It is further proposed to provide a control for the solution feedconduit including a metering valve for adjusting the solution feed and aback-pressure responsive shutoff valve for discontinuing the solutionfeed altogether when the nozzle valve is closed.

It is additionally proposed to provide a control valve for the gasconduit with back-pressure responsive means for shutting olf the gassupply when the nozzle-valve is closed, this control being integratedinto a thermostat.

control for the gas which is operative to arrest the ow of gas to theheater in response to excessive temperatures developed in the coil. j

And linally, it is proposed to providea unitary strueture for theback-pressure responsive control for the two shut-olf valves for thesolution and gas feeds.

Further objects and advantages of our cleaning machine will appear asthe specification proceeds, and the new and useful features of theinvention will be fully deiined in the claims attached hereto.

The preferred form of our invention is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings forming part of this application, in whichz'V Figure l shows ageneral assembly view of our cleaning machine in side elevation, withparts shown in section;

Figure 2, a detail view, in longitudinal section, of the common,back-pressure responsive control for the valves of the solution feed andof the gas feed.

2,928,613 Patented p M ar. 1 5, 1960 Figure 3, a detail view, invertical section, of the pump by-pass control valve; Figure 4, a detailview, in axial section, of the nozzle control valve;

Figure 5, a detail view, in section, of a gas control valve; and

Figure 6, a` detail view, in section, of a control thermostat.

While we have shown onlythe preferred from of our invention, it shouldbeunderstood that various changes or modifications may be made within thescope of the claims hereto attached, without departing from the spiritof the invention.

Referring to the drawing in detail, and particularly to the assemblyview of Figure 1, our cleaning machine comprises in its generalfeatures, a coil 1 mounted in a cylindrical housing 2, suitablyinsulated, a water tank 3 having a oat control 4, a solution tank 5, aconduit 6 feeding from the solution tank to the water tank by gravity, apump 7, an intake conduit 8' connecting theY coil 1 into and through thenozzle valve 12, while the solution feeds into the water tank throughconduit 6, and the water, with its solution, is heated in the coil toany desired temperature by the gas burner 13 fed through the pipe 14. f

The nozzle valve 12, as shown in detail in Figure 4, is the self-closingtype, and comprises a housing 15 having an angularly disposed intake 16adapted for securing upon the discharge hose, and an outlet pipe 16adapted for connection to the orifice, with a valve seat 17 interposed.i

The valve seat 17V is normally closed by a springpressed valve head 18having arstem 19 projecting in the opposite direction. y A curved valvehandle 20 is pivoted in the housing, as at 21, and has an end face 22adapted to bear on the valve stem for opening the valve when the freeend 23 of the handle is swung upward.

The housing has, a loop 24 secured thereon in the planeI of the handleand passing around the same, so-

that an operator may grip the loop and the handle at the same time foropening the valve at the same time he picks up the nozzle. On the otherhand, as soon as the operator lays down the nozzle, the valve closesautomatically. i

As soon as the nozzle valve is closed, with the pump still going, aback-pressure develops, and this backpressure is made to perform severalfunctions.

In the first place, the back-pressure is made to bypass the Waterdischarged by the pump back into the tank 3. The by-pass 25 connectswith the pump discharge conduit through a fitting 2.6, which is alsomade for attachment to a cushion dome 27, and has a free end deliveringinto the tank 3.

The by-pass has a pressure relief valve 28 which may assume the formillustrated in detail in Figure 3. The valve comprises a housing 29having a valve seat 30,

a ball valve 31 adapted for closing the seat, an intake 32 and an outlet33. t

The valve ball 31 is operated, for opening the seat, by a vertical valvestem 34, which, in turn, is operated by a diaphragm 35 mounted toprovide an upper chamber 36 and a lower chamber 37.

A spring 38 normally tends to pull down on ythe valve stem and thediaphragm, soas to cause the valve stem to retract from the ball and toallow thelatter to seat-.7,

The Yincoming water connects with the. chamber 37 that thevalvestemallows theball 3 1; to s eat,' and that no water p assesthrough the relefvalve. I But when??? nozzle valve iSCIOss-d, and the11.11- ramp' pressure is made to operate'on the diaphragm in` the lowerchamber 37, thewaterpressure overcomes the i. spring pressure and liftsthe diaphragm;andV thegvalve maecla stem,'and Ithe i' latter liftsthe-ball, so ast-.to allow.Y the water tofr'e'ely intake .thropsgljlVthe chamber 36 and the outlet 33 to thewater tank-'3,

qIn the. second place, the shuttingoif of the nozzle valve and the backpressure'created therebyis made ,to

stop thesrlution` feed through pipe 6. For this purpose l we `providethe valve arangeme'nt generallyY indicated at 40 and illustrateduindetail in Figure A Y A valve housing 41 isconnected into the waterconduit and hasan intake 42 and an outlet 43 with a horizontal valverseat 44 interposed between intake and t outlet and adapted to be closedby a spring-pressed valve 45, which yieldsto the pressure of the normaltlow of water.V Thevalve housing presentsl an intake chamber 460m theintake side of the valve andl anl outlet chamber 47 on the other side ofthe valve. Y t n When the nozzle'valve is closed, thespringpressed valvecloses dueto the increased backpressure, and the valve 45 is formed'witha bleeder hole 45 which allows the pressures to equalize on opposite sidesof the valve after the latter `is closed. Y

The housing thusfar described has a diaphragmfhous ing 48 dependingtherefrom, with a diaphragm 49 mounted in the latter housing in such amanner that the inside f a'ce of thegdiaphragm is subject tothe'pressure prevailing in chamber 4'6, while the outside face issubjected tothe pressure prevailing in the chamber 4 7.

normally urges the diaphragm inwardly.

As long as the outward pressure on the innerfaceof the diaphragm exceedsthe combined pressures on the opposite face, the diaphragm willbcpressed outward, as` shown in Figure 2. But, when theback-pressurercaused by theV closing of the nozzlevalve, combined withthef spring pressure, exceed the outward pressure, the diap'hragm`willbe forcedinwardly, that is,` tothe right in Figure 2.

The diaphragm 49 is use dto operateY ava'lve generally indicated at 51and forming part of thersolution vcon- A1 sp ring 50 valve 61 which maybe operated independently by means A of a handle 62.

In the third place, the diaphragm 49 is used for controlling the gasfeed in such a manner `that it shuts off the feed when the nozzle isclosed.`

This control is effected by means of the valve 65-(see Figure' 21fordetails). This control valve is mounted coaxially with the diaphragm49 and in opposite relation to the valve assembly 51. It comprises ahousing 66 having Aa valve seat 67 and a valve head 68 cooperatingtherewith, a spring69 tending to seat the valve head. The valve head l68is connectedV t the diaphragm 49 by means of a rod 70, andas long as thediaphragm is in the position shown in Figure 2, which is the normalposition `v Jhen the water is running vfreely throughwthe system,thediaphragrn pushes the v alve head68 oli its seat, againsttheopposition of thespring 6 9. When the: diaphragm movesinward, that istothe right, in response` V,tothe stopping of the flow ofwater, thespringf.69 closes The valve 65: does not act .directly on the main gassupply, but on a bypass 71 which in turn, is used .to control the maingas4 line 1 4. The valve is connectedinto thebypass by means of its,intake 7 2 and `outle t 73.

' `To effect the control of the by-passover the main gas line, weprovide a diaphragm valve in the `1 `1 iain, ga s line, which isillustratedin detail in Figure 5, r[his-valve which cooperates with an`annular valve' s eat 82 formed about the outlet 81 in openingand closingthe valve.` A spring 83 in the upper chamber exerts downward pressureonthe diaphragm.

The upper chamber 79 is by-pass 71, and-a small leak-hole 84 isprovidedin the Ydiaphragm betweenlthe tWochamberS.

' As'has been, previously described, the by-pass 71 is i `controlledbythe valve 65, which is` normallyopen, but which is`Vclosed.automatically whenthe flow of4 Water.

' through the system is vstoppedby the closing-of the nozzle duit` 6;This valve comprises a housing 52 arranged c oy axially with thediaphragm and having a lateral intake 53 communicating withtheV intakeside of the conduit 6, and' a lateral outlet 54 communicating with thedischarge side of conduit 6.

The housing Y52` has a central tube 5 which'forms aivalve seat 56 inoposing relation to a dia byats'prig 58. Y

As lhg' as the diaphragm 57 is pressed away from the' seat, solution isfree to ow fromY tank- 5 throughy 5, the end ofv phragm which isnormallypressed laway from'the seat Inope'rationf as long as the valve65 is open, the gas,1

hole 84 in the diaphragm and enters the upper chamber.

and the bypass 71'which eventuallyrleads to` the gas burner anddischargesY into the main llame through a pilot S5. Y l

When the bypass 71 is closed,'du'e to the stoppage of the waterow, thefree ow ofthe gas throughl the byppe 6', valve intake 53, past the openend of tube55,

through the Alatter and out the outlet l 54,-. to continue through thecontinuation of conduit 6 to? the water tank 3". i j? `Thus,r thesolutionfow is maintained normally, asv lngas the system is inopera'tion, bu t, when the nozzle valve is Vclosed to stop the flow ofthe water, theback pressure bearingon the rearl faceottheV diaphragm 49,

aidedvthe spring.` 50, pushesthe diaphragm forward,

' that is, totheright, as viewed; in Figure il,` and this forwardmovement is communicated to the diaphragm 5 7 by means of` any axialconnectingrod 60;

Thus, the back pressurexcausedby. thefclosin'g-of the pass ceases andthe gas Yescaping through theleak-hole 84 builds up counter pressureinthe upper chamber 79,

and when the Vcombined pressures of the gas in theupper chamberand thespring 83 exceed thepressure in the lower chamber, the diaphragm isforceddownward upon the seat and stops the flow of gas through Athelowerv chamber, thereby extinguishing theburner.'v i

A 'second conventional by-pass 86 is connected; intoy themain gasv lineaheadof thediaphragm valve 75', as at 87, and terminates` in the. usualpilot 88, whicheis u n.

. affected by the diaphragm valvejarid is always ready tor'e-.lightfthe` gas` at the burner.A

The gas bypass- 71 isalsoused asia part-olithe.thermo` connected:directlyA` to the L stat control of the gas llame, independently of thevalve 65.

For the purpose of the thermostat control (see Figure 6), we provide astraight tube 90 of expansible material connected to the bottom end ofthe coil and extending diametrically across the coil, substantially inthe hottest region of the coil housing.

The tube 90 has an end extending outside the housing, with a downwardlyextending outlet 91 adapted for the hose connection.

Upon the end of the tube is mounted a valve housing 92, including in itsprincipal features, a horizontal passage 93 alined with thel upperportion of the tube, a vertically presented, tubular valve seat 94, avalve 95 adapted for engagement upon the valve seat, and a spring 96urging the valve upon its seat.

The valve forms an outer chamber 97 and an inner chamber 98 connectedinto the by-pass 71.

The tube 90 has a rod 99 of smaller diameter and constructed ofnon-expansible material mounted inside thereof and secured to the tubeat its inner end, as at 100.

The rod has a threaded extension 101 extending into the passage 93 andthe extension has a'sleeve 102 threaded thereon, the sleeve beingturnable by means of a handle 103 to adjust the overall length of therod assembly. The sleeve has a projecting plunger 104 bearing on thevalve and adapted to push the same olf its seat for opening the by-pass.

When the tube 90 is cool, it shrinks and causes the rod and the plunger104 to bear on the valve for opening the same, so as to allow of thefree passage of gas through the by-pass 71. As the tube 90 expands dueto the heat, the rod 9, which does not substantially expand, is pulledbackward to allow the valve 95 to move toward closing position and toclose altogether when the heat becomes excessive.

The closing of the valve again Works up back-pressure in the chamber 79of the diaphragm valve 7S, and stops the flow of gas in the main line.

The operation of our cleaning machine may be described as follows:

When the machine is in operation, with the nozzle valve 12 open:

(1) Water is pumped from tank 3, through pipe 8, pump 7, valve 40, pipe9, coil 1, thermostat tube 90, outlet pipe 10, hose 11, and nozzle 12.

At this time:

(2) Valve 28 is closed, so as to bar the by-pass 25;

(3) Valve 51 is open to allow solution to feed from tank into tank 3;

(4) Gas by-pass valve 65 is open to allow gas leaking through theleak-hole 84 in the diaphragm 77 to escape into pilot 85;

(5) Thermostat valve 92 is normally open, butY responsive to excessiveheat to close and stop the ow of gas to the burner.

When the nozzle valve 12 is closed, the following changes take placeautomatically:

(l) Valve 28.-The increased pressure caused by the closing of the nozzlevalve lifts the diaphragm 3S (Figure 3), and the plunger 34, whichlatter lifts the ball 31 and opens the valve to allow the pumped waterto escape and be by-passed into the tank 3.

(2) Valve 51 .-Back pressure active on the rear face of diaphragm 49(Figure 2), aided by the spring 50, causes the diaphragm to iiex forwardand the plunger 60 to close valve 51, which in turn closes the solutionfeed 6 from tank 5 to tank 3. v

(s) valve fai-Diaphragm 49 (Figure 2), on its fr- (4) Valve 75.-Theclosing of the gas by-pass valve Y 65 tends to equalize pressures onopposite sides of the diaphragm 77 (Figure 5) and allows the spring 83toV force the diaphragm upon its seat, thereby closing the main gas line14.

(5) Thermostat valve 92.-This valve also forms part of the gas by-pass71 andvis adapted to close the same in case of excessive heat, with thesame effect, namely the equalizing of pressures on vopposite sides ofthe diaphragm 77 and the closing of the main gas valve 75.

We claim: Y v

l. In a machine of the character described, a conduit having a dischargenozzle, a pump connected into said conduit and operative for pumping aliquid through the conduit under pressure, a valve housing mounted insaid conduit longitudinally thereof and having a springpressed valveadapted for opening by the outward pressure of the liquid when -thenozzle is open and for closing under combined spring pressure and backpressure when the nozzle is closed, aY diaphragm housing projectinglaterally from the rst housing and having a diaphragm Vmounted thereintransversely to the conduit and free to ex in a direction parallel tothe conduit, the diaphragm housing having connection with the conduit tosubject the front face of the diaphragm directly to the pump pressure ofthe liquid and to subject the rear face Aof the diaphragm to thedelivery pressure of the liquid, Ya spring bearing on the rear face ofthe diaphragm and tending to move the diaphragm forward, the pumppressure being operative to move the diaphragm rearward when the pumppressure greatly exceeds the delivery pressure, and the combined springpressure and delivery pressure being operative to move the diaphragmforward when the delivery pressure and the pump pressure aresubstantially equalized, and the Yiirst-named valve having a bleederhole therein for equalizing the pressures on opposite sides thereof whenthe said valve isv closed. Y

2. A combination as defined in claimV l, in which the diaphragm hascontrol elements mounted on opposite sides thereof to operate otherinstrumentalities.

3. A combination as defined in claim l, including a second conduithaving a valve mounted in axial alinement with the diaphragm and spacedfrom one side thereof, and a rod projecting centrally from the diaphragmand operable by the diaphragm for operating the valve of the secondconduit.

4. A combination as defined in claim 3 in which the second valve hasmeans for metering -the ilow of liquid therethrough.

References Cited in the-file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,903,338 Horne Apr. 4, 1933 2,345,614 Malsbary Apr. 4, 1944 2,350,876Clarkson June 6, 1944 2,538,281 Snyder Jan. 16, 1951 2,733,101 HartzlerIan. 3l', 1956V 2,755,130 Arant July 17, Y1956 Y Y FOREIGN PATENTSV697,519 Germany Oct. 16, 1940

